To think that I can go to this baby class?

If you see above, I mentioned 2 ways that I noticed as a user myself. One was not having classes early in the day and the other was provision for older children. This may vary according to where you live and the particular needs of that population.

I work developing these kinds of services with family hubs and children centres. They are for everyone in the area. Every parent needs to build their village. Ignore nonsense from @YourLuckyBrickOtter, if numbers are too low the services won’t be commissioned again and the money will go elsewhere!
Language and communication can be supported from before birth so the people saying that 12 weeks is too early suggests more general education on this is definitely needed!

Um, am a bit confused by the mentions of sure start... how does middle class mums also attending cause them to close???

I loved our local one. I went there with my eldest and then my twins. With my eldest it was totally invaluable to me. I dont tend to think much in terms of class, but others on this thread have classified teachers as middle class so let's go with that. I was devastated that it closed. I never "took a space" from anyone - it was busy but not ever full. It had a real mix of different people as it was recommended by HV and midwives during the health checks. Different cultures, different backgrounds. Really few that earned more than me (part time teacher - not a banker or anything!), all friendly and supportive. I dont see how the presence of a couple of "middle class mum" if that's what i was would cause it to close????

I lived in a more 'deprived' area when I had my first child and loved the free 'baby rhymes' and 'language and play' type courses I could access. I don't think I was necessarily the 'target' (have a degree, average income) but they were undersubscribed usually, so I wasn't taking anyone's place and I don't think they'd have run if people like me hadn't gone, and people who needed them more would have missed out. I did laugh once when they group leader was talking about the programme being designed by speech and language therapists and one of the mums was a speech therapist, so probably didn't 'need' it, but she enjoyed the course like everyone else.

When I had my second I'd moved to a more 'middle class' area, where nothing was free, and I really missed those sessions. Now I was one of the least well off on classes I was paying for, which were less good quality than the free ones because they were a business, rather than working to an educational goal.

The organisers can put criteria on they if they want, so if you are eligible, of course you can go!

How?

I think we should increase uptake from people who need it most.

This is what my HV told me

I think you should go if you want to. I honestly think it would be a waste of time though! You know how to support language and I think nothing benefits a child's language more than. Being surrounded by close adults/friends/ peers having coffee or a play date all chatting to each other- that is language and communication. You don't a class to show you how to do that!
As for 'these classes should be for the
disadvantaged! Oh get in the bin with that! So, some mothers should pay over the odds for more expensive classes because they have the audacity to have good jobs, with good incomes and their own homes? Yeah okay.

It's for whoever needs it or wants it. It's probably beneficial to lots of mums, whether they are PhD educated professors of linguistics or cleaners who's first language isn't English.

Just ignore your friend. Presumably if you go and it's all stuff you know already then you just won't go back?

What do they do in a sensory class?

Worth trying but I wouldn't be surprised if you find it's not giving you any information you didn't already have so maybe plan to try it to see if it's actually useful.

Your posts really do come across as very unpleasant. You seem to have a very black and white view on who is most deserving of these classes, uniform etc. It is never that black and white in real life though. Maybe try removing the large chip on your shoulder and try seeing something from a perspective other than your limited experience.

When I was a teen mum, I found myself to be usually the only one of the "targeted group" at baby massage because it started at 930am.

I've always been an early riser due to family lifestyle so it wasnt a problem for me to get up and out at that time. Not as normal for many of my peers who because they were teenagers and were used to late bed and wake up, they weren't up and out with baby until at least lunchtime.

Now that's not to say their baby was neglected in any way. We were all imperfect teen mums. It's just the way those types of classes functioned was more accessible to me purely because I was used to being up early with my younger siblings.

The other obstacle seemed to be provision for older siblings for these types of classes.

When classes or interventions are targeted at a particular population they put thresholds in place. If there are no thresholds or if you meet the threshold then you can go. Ask the children’s centre who the class is for and if they say everyone or it’s universal then of course go.

In my area, the children's centres (they're known here as family hubs) offer various groups and classes which are free and open to anyone. (Certain activities are targeted exclusively at low income families but these are usually for school aged children during the holidays, and the eligibility criteria are made explicit.)

I am a SAHM to a 3yo and 6yo, not in receipt of any benefits. My children and I go along to any free events and groups that take my fancy! You are perfectly entitled to attend the language development course and anything else that interests you. You might find that it doesn't teach you much that you didn't already know, but there's no harm at all in trying it out if you are keen. I'm sure the providers will be delighted to have you. Ignore your friend - her comment was quite sanctimonious and unkind IMO.

If there are plenty of places, go. If you will be taking a sought after spot from someone who needs it more, don't.

If these classes are not reaching/being used by the people in greatest need, then the folk organising them need to change something about it. When my DC were tiny, I went to a class about weaning run by the HV team. The only two parents in attendance were middle class professionals. We went because we were invited, and also, I suspect, because the HVs in our area didn't speak down to us the way that they did to some of the other younger, less confident mums who I saw in the baby clinic.

In our area all families are encouraged to attend the groups, health visitors give out the time table and take details from everyone who wishes to be involved. I would look into what your area offers and who it is aimed at x

Go, as it can't be guaranteed that the place will be taken by one of the 'deserving' anyway, as PPs have said.

Sign up for NCT classes to meet other parents.

I bet there are loads of privately-run classes that you are not aware of, eg baby massage, baby sensory, music classes etc. They often hire out church halls etc.

If you have a local mums/parents fb page, they’re usually a good place to find information.

Ignore all this vitriol OP. I think you should go if there are no eligibility restrictions.

Those who need it most won't go. The ' that's not for us' mindset is deeply ingrained. My friend ran a family centre for years. Anything that involved going to the library, listening to stories, massaging/ talking/ singing would never be attended by her clients . No matter what she said they refused to attend

Well you have already said you have an understanding of how language development works. This is a council-run course and will cover the basics at most. I would almost guarantee it will be things like

• don’t look at your phone all day
• don’t stick baby in front of a screen regularly
• talk to them all the time about what you’re doing and what’s going on around them
• try and avoid noises eg the tv/radio in the background constantly
• make eye contact as much as possible so baby can see your lips moving and facial expressions

And not a whole lot more - it’s being aimed at those who need it most, after all, so is not going to go into complex detail.

I work for the council and have worked in Children's Centres. I think you should go. They need high numbers to justify running courses like this, I've seen classes cut because the numbers were low. There's a chance you going would actually benefit the less fortunate because the more people showing interest and attending the more likely it is that it will continue.